Use of Biometrics in ATMs

ATMs around the world are increasingly looking for secure options for a seamless customer experience. As ‘digital’ is becoming a global phenomenon, security issues are also becoming a critical point of concern. ATMs are now trying to incorporate the biometrics technology in their functioning for enhanced security purposes.

The Diebold ATM is a new biometric ATM seeks to use biometric identity and phones instead of cards and PINs as the keys to allow consumers to access their cash. Relying on facial recognition, the initiative is a collaboration between Diebold Nixdorf and Samsung technology and stands as the latest advance in biometric payment efforts. Through the initiative, Samsung is making it easier for consumers to interact with their banks and ATMs using biometric information and eliminating the need for a physical card and PIN.

For the biometric payment authentication, the Diebold ATM uses FIDO-certified Samsung SDS Nexsign technology. Consumers set up the desired transaction on their mobile banking app before heading to the ATM and tap their Samsung Galaxy S8 mobile device against the NFC reader on the ATM (the technology also works with other devices running Android and iOS). The ATM offers a prompt to complete authentication via facial recognition on consumers’ mobile devices after the transaction is confirmed and the cash is dispensed without the need for payment cards and PINs after the verification is complete.

The main benefits of biometric authentication at the ATM are speed and security. Criminals have a harder time breaking into a consumer’s account if it is protected by facial recognition. Diebold and Samsung also say that transactions at this biometric ATM are faster, “less than half the time of a standard ATM transaction.”